Feeling overwhelmed by decluttering is normal. There is so much decision making, and it’s frankly exhausting.
Sometimes, you just want someone to literally hand you a checklist of what you should get rid of. I got you, babes.
Before you begin, make sure you’re in a good headspace. I’m always preaching against undertaking a decluttering project while you’re emotional or exhausted. It will NOT help.
So wait until you’re in a good mood so you can approach it confidently without stressing yourself out.
Home decluttering checklist.
I’ve broken this decluttering checklist down by room, so you can tackle one at a time without running all over the house.
Here’s a room-by-room guide to help you declutter your entire house, if you’d like some extra comprehensive guidance.
Now onward to the checklist!
Kitchen Checklist
The kitchen is a fertile breeding ground for clutter. It seems to multiply the second you look away. Here are some easy-tosses to get your kitchen functioning a bit smoother.
A note on expired food: The “best by” dates are not the expiration dates. Many foods are perfectly fine long after it.
Another note on expired food: I’m thinking about pantry items, like those granola bars that have been in there for four years. If the food’s not “bad” yet, still be realistic about if you’ll eat them.
One idea is to put them in a basket on the counter in plain sight so people in your house have an opportunity to eat them. At the end of the week/month, drop whatever’s left in your neighborhood pantry.
Try to be proactive–know if something will go to waste, and rehome it to someone who will use it before it spoils.
This list is intended to apply to items you no longer use–if something on this list is important to you, keep it, chief!
- Expired food items from pantry and fridge
- Mismatched food storage containers and lids
- Duplicate or worn-out kitchen utensils
- Old takeout menus and expired coupons
- Chipped mugs or glasses
(Great for using at the bottoms of too-big plant pots.) - Unused small appliances
- Expired spices and seasonings
- Excess water bottles
- Old dish towels and washcloths
- Stained or scorched oven mitts
- Excess grocery bags
- Unused cookbooks (if you’re attached, flip through them and take pics of your favorite recipes)
- Cleaning products you don’t use
- Outdated refrigerator magnets/magnets you hate
- Practically empty condiment bottles
- Duplicate measuring cups/spoons
- Unused cake pans or baking sheets
- Stained plastic containers
- Excess shopping bags
- Old sponges and cleaning brushes
- Extra parts to appliances that you’ve never used
(You don’t have to keep the set together. they’re not a pair of bonded cats. If you don’t use a part of it, throw it out. Same goes for pot and pan sets.) - Mismatched plates and bowls
- Unused table linens
- Extra bottle/wine openers
- Old freezer items with freezer burn (Some of it can be made into dog food!)
Bathroom Checklist
This decluttering checklist is probably the most subjective, as bathrooms tend to vary DRAMATICALLY home to home. Again, take what applies to you, leave the rest. Now start decluttering that bathroom!
- Expired medications and old cosmetics
(Did you know it’s recommended you throw out ALL cosmetics after 6 months? Like anyone is doing that? Anyway, check expiration dates.) - Empty or nearly empty toiletries
- Old towels and washcloths
(Or retire them to rags.) - Hotel miniatures you’ll never use
(Drop them off at your local pantry/shelter, or keep in your car to give to the next homeless person you see.) - Old contact lens cases and expired contacts
- Expired sunscreen
- Empty toilet paper rolls
(All rodents love to play with these, if you’ve got one.) - Old toothbrushes
(Or retire to the cleaning cabinet.) - Unused hair accessories
(I know the mini-tiara is so cute, but are you ever going to wear that, or is it another lie you tell about your fantasy-self?) - Sample-size products
(Again, drop at a shelter or pantry.) - Old loofahs or bath poufs
- Expired first-aid supplies
- Empty tissue boxes
- Old nail polish
- Unused or expired perfumes
- Outdated hair styling tools
- Old shower curtain liners
(If yours looks gross, try running it through the washing machine and see how it comes out.) - Extra nail clippers
(With extras, keep the best, ditch the rest.) - That sad, sad, shriveled bar of soap that no one is willing to touch
- Bubble bath, salts, and bath bombs you know you won’t use
Bedroom & Closet Checklist
Let’s clear up some space in the bedroom, so we have more room for activities! Be brutal here on items you no longer use–they tend to find a comfy home in our bedrooms and are never dislodged.
- Clothing that no longer fits
- Mismatched or worn-out socks
- Old magazines and newspapers
- Excess hangers
(Minimalism life hack: Limit yourself to a certain number of hangers. If you have more clothes than can fit on them, you have to purge.) - Worn-out shoes
- Old bedding sets
- Unworn jewelry
- Old toys
(Interpret as you will.) - That ugly scarf your aunt gave you
(It’s not even homemade. Why have you kept that for nine years?) - Unused gym clothes
- Old prescription glasses
- Stretched-out underwear
- Unused luggage
- Old shopping bags
- Clothes with missing buttons/tears
- Expired store receipts
- Old notebooks or planners
- Unused gift boxes
- Outgrown children’s clothes
- Old Halloween costumes
- Extra lotions on your bedside table
- Unmatched gloves
- Old phone cases
- Unused travel-size items
- Outdated formal wear
Home Office Checklist
If you have a home office, it’s probably full of stuff you don’t need. Deciding which papers, bills, manuals, etc., to keep in your desk drawers and which to keep in your PAPER SHREDDER can be nerve-wracking… What if one of those scraps ends up being important?
Here’s the dealio: They’re 99% not.
Keep your passports, birth certificates, social security cards, car titles, and other important, difficult to replace documents in firesafe storage.
The rest of it can probably go in the trash.
Learn more about how to deal with paper clutter.
- Outdated paperwork and receipts
- Dead pens and dried-out markers
- Old electronics and cables
- Expired warranties and manuals
- Unused office supplies
- Old business cards
- Outdated software or CDs
- Empty printer cartridges
- Old calendars
- Unnecessary duplicate files
- Broken pencils
(Or ones with a worn out eraser–but you forget it’s worn out, so you try to use it and it makes that awful sound of thin metal scraping against paper. Is that just me?) - Old sticky notes
- Old bills
- Obsolete instruction manuals
- Expired promotional items
Living Room Checklist
Living rooms are pretty unique to the household–do you use it as a family room, a place to host guests, a rec room, a tea room?
Depending on the vibe of your living room, some of these might not apply to you.
Tip: Take a quick second to replace the items that don’t apply to you with ones that do! Get those 100 items!
- Old remote controls
- Outdated decor items
- Unused throw pillows
(It’s very easy to have too many throw pillows…) - Old DVDs or CDs
- Broken picture frames
- Old gaming consoles/accessories
- Unused craft supplies
- The hobby items you never use
- Outdated technology
- Broken toys
- Old blankets and throws
- Unused exercise equipment
- Old candles and holders
- Outdated coffee table books
- Broken electronics
Tips for tackling this decluttering checklist.
I’d suggest taking it room by room! Set a timer for 20-30 minutes of decluttering, then take a break or come back to it tomorrow.
You may want to do it by categories–if so, collect everything of those categories from around the house and put them in piles. That way, you know you’re seeing everything you have to make better decisions–for example, if you have 19 throw blankets, it might be time to pass some on!
Take before and after photos to track your progress. I just think it’s fun, and most people find it motivating. You can post your before-and-afters in our Facebook group, if you’d like!
Disposal guidelines.
There are a few things to note here, for the sake of bEiNg ReSpOnSibLe.
- Recycle electronics responsibly
- Donate usable items to charity
- Properly dispose of medications (don’t flush them. you’re making the frogs gay.)
- Shred or burn sensitive documents (bonfire, anyone? I’ve got a bag of marshmallows just begging to be aflame.)
Remember: Progress over perfection. Even decluttering a few items makes a difference!
Don’t stress about it. This checklist is supposed to make the process easy and fun, so don’t take it too seriously. Just get in there and get started!
This list of 100 items to declutter is a fantastic guide for anyone looking to create a more organized home. A clear and practical approach to reducing unnecessary clutter and making daily life more efficient.